Judith Beheading Holofernes

Judith Beheading Holofernes
The story behind Judith and Holofernes comes from the Bible - the deuterocanonical book of Judith. The Bible tells us that the King of Nineveh, Nebuchadnezzar, sent his general, Holofernes, to subdue his enemies, the Jews. The Jews are besieged in Bethulia and rapidly lose all hope of victory. Famine further undermines their courage and they begin considering surrender.

Judith, whose name means "lady Jew" or "Jewish woman", was a strikingly beautiful widow. She overhears plans for surrender and decides to "deliver the city". She creeps into the Assyrian camp, seduces Holofernes with her captivating beauty, waits until he is thoroughly drunk, and cuts off his head.

Caravaggio's approach was, typically, to choose the moment of greatest dramatic impact, the moment of the decapitation itself. The figures are set out in a shallow stage, theatrically lit from the side, isolated against the inky, black background. Judith and her maid Abra stand to the right, partially over Holofernes, who is vulnerable on his back.

X-rays have revealed that Caravaggio adjusted the placement of Holofernes' head as he proceeded, separating it slightly from the torso and moving it slightly to the right. The faces of the three characters demonstrate his mastery of emotion, Judith in particular showing in her face a mix of determination and repulsion.


Painting by Caravaggio
Created: circa 1598-1599

Reference:
http://www.caravaggio.org/judith-beheading-holofernes.jsp

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